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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28679028">By Creed and Religion</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomofthenight/pseuds/phantomofthenight'>phantomofthenight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:14:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,673</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28679028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomofthenight/pseuds/phantomofthenight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>If your life as a Jedi in hiding has taught you one thing, it's that friendships don't last. Any relationship you had was always taken away from you. Haunted by the events that took place at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant during Order 66, your life has been nothing but a nightmare. You had lost faith in the Order that had once been your life. You had no hope for anything better. That is, until you met the Mandalorian warrior protecting the one thing from your past you never thought you would see again.<br/>Hope.</p><p>*Takes place before Season Two of The Mandalorian, so there is a lot of canon divergence!*</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ahsoka Tano &amp; You, Bo-Katan Kryze &amp; Koska Reeves, Din Djarin &amp; Ahsoka Tano, Din Djarin &amp; Boba Fett, Din Djarin &amp; Cara Dune, Din Djarin &amp; Fennec Shand, Din Djarin &amp; Greef Karga, Din Djarin &amp; Grogu | Baby Yoda, Din Djarin &amp; Migs Mayfeld, Din Djarin &amp; Reader, Din Djarin/Luke Skywalker, Din Djarin/Reader, Din Djarin/You, Greef Karga &amp; Original Character(s), Grogu | Baby Yoda &amp; You, Luke Skywalker/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>112</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Jedi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey everyone! This is my first pic with a reader POV, so if it's a little rough I'm sorry! I've had this idea in my head for a while and always thought it would be cool to see Din traveling with a trained Jedi. Anyways, hope y'all enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Unknown planet in the Outer Rim</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Mandalorian kept his hand level with his blaster as he walked through the dirt-ridden street of the alleyway. He had been tracking this lead for months. If he was successful, this could mean he would be able to find the location of other Mandalorians. His kind. They would be bound by creed to help him find the Jedi who could help train his kid. He still wasn’t completely on board with finding the race of sorcerers that anyone only ever speaks of in whispers, but he was bound by creed to reunite the kid with his own kind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Speaking of the little monster, Mando looked over at the floating orb that trailed him like a shadow everywhere he went. The kid was wide awake and as present as ever. His giant eyes looked around at their surroundings, before slowly resting on Mando. It never failed to melt his heart. Anytime the kid looked at him, Mando reaffirmed that he was making the right decision in devoting his time to finding the kid’s species. Mando didn’t let himself think about what would happen if they ever found a Jedi. He had grown attached to the little thing. It was hard to imagine what life was like without him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shook his head slightly. Now was not the time to think that far ahead into the future. His current task was to find the Mandalorian contact he was told would be found on this planet. He doesn’t even remember what this dust bowl planet is called. As soon as he landed the Razor Crest, it was evident that this planet had seen better days. He didn’t even know how he had managed to find this place. Hyperspace travel was longer than what he expected and when he arrived at the coordinates, he was taken aback at how bleak this planet looked from his view in space. It angered him, to think that his people had to resort to these desolate and miserable planets as a place to find sanctuary. But his anger was short-lived. This was just how it had to be. This is the Way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Mandalorian came to a stop in front of a decayed, wooden door. The wood looked like it would crack if even a tiny gust of wind blew through the cramped alleyway. Mando looked over both of his shoulders before he knocked on the door. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It completely fell off its hinges. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door fell to ground with a resounding </span>
  <em>
    <span>boom</span>
  </em>
  <span> and the Child began to coo slightly beside him. Mando glanced around. No one seemed to be anywhere around him at the moment. He couldn’t detect any heat signatures nearby, so he took a small step into the darkened room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mando picked up the door off the floor and rested it up against the mildewed wall. At first glance, there was nothing special about it. There was a small table to his right, with a small kitchen. To his left, there was an old couch and cushioned chair. Everything looked old and completely worn down. There was a small staircase that led to the second level and as Mando began to head towards it, he heard footsteps from up above him. Grabbing his blaster from its holster, Mando walked towards the steps and began to slowly walk up them. When he reached the railing, he picked up a small heat signature. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was an older woman. She was sitting on an old bed and looking out the dusty window of the bedroom. She didn’t turn towards him when he reached the top of the stairs. He stopped when he reached the top and waited. He knew she could hear him. Her body had stiffened when he stopped walking up the stairs, but she didn’t make any other gesture to show that she cared that a complete stranger was standing in her bedroom. Mando felt a light tug on his cloak and turned to see the kid staring up at him. The kid’s eyes were open wide and he seemed...sad? Mando always had trouble gauging the kid’s emotions.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mando brushed his fingers lightly over the kid’s wrinkled forehead before pressing the button on his vambrace to close the floating crib. He didn’t want the woman to ask questions and he didn’t know who this woman even was. This address was supposed to be where he would find the Mandalorians. As far as he could tell, no one other than this woman had lived in the house. He approached the bed, making sure to keep his steps light. The last thing he wanted was to spook this woman. He already entered her house unannounced and uninvited. Though she was the only one in the room and he could handle her if he needed to, Mando still checked around the room to make sure nothing would surprise him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he got closer to the bed, he saw a picture lying next to the woman on the bed. He couldn’t make out much, the only light in the room was coming from the dust-coated window, but he could see the figures of two people in the photo. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you're looking for the Mandalorians, they’re long gone,” the old woman said from the bed quietly, still not turning to look in his direction. Mando didn’t respond for a moment, letting the information sink in before he spoke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where can I find them?” Mando asked the woman. The woman shrugged lightly. “It’s been multiple cycles since they left and they never said where they were going. All I know is that they were looking for something important.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mando froze. He didn’t know how much information had gotten out about what had happened back on Nevarro, but compared to the experiences he had on other planets, he knew there were many who knew he had valuable cargo with him. He glanced over at the enclosed crib. If the Mandalorians were looking for the kid, they would have found them both already.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You are different from them,” the woman said to him suddenly. Mando jerked his head back towards her, but didn’t respond. She still wasn’t looking at him. “The Mandalorians that were here asked many questions, but you have only asked one.” That was when she finally looked at him and he saw her eyes. They were covered in a milky film. It finally dawned on him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She’s blind</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That’s why she didn’t turn towards him when he walked up the stairs. She didn’t need to. He felt his face flush slightly, though he had nothing to be embarrassed about.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It must be important. No one ever actively seeks out other Mandalorians. The ones who were here didn’t want to be spotted, but I guess you can’t always have what you want.” The woman’s voice trailed off at the end. She let out a deep sigh. He could hear the exhaustion in her voice, the sadness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for your time. I’m sorry about your door, I’ll fix it on my way out,” Mando said to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t bother. It’s about time I got a new one anyway,” the woman told him. She turned back towards the window once again and Mando knew that meant he was dismissed. As he began descending the stairs, the woman called out to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Be careful out there Mandalorian. This town is not kind to those who cover themselves in profit.” Mando paused and glanced back to see that the woman was now holding the picture in her hands and putting it up to the light coming through the window. It was an odd sight, a blind woman staring at a photo she couldn’t see. With the new lighting, he could now see the two figures in the photo. It was the woman and a person with their arm around her. The old woman looked much younger in this photo and was smiling shyly. The person standing with their arm around her is what caught his attention.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a Mandalorian.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>____________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was beginning to get dark by the time Mando exited the alleyway. There weren’t very many people milling about. Those that were did not pay him any mind, but when he walked past them they scuttled out of the way and into the shadows.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Mandalorian had been in enough fights to know when one was about to happen. He felt the hair on his arms underneath the armor begin to raise. Someone was watching him. He didn’t stop. He didn’t want whoever it was to know. He cocked his head to the side, checking to see if the kid’s floating crib was still closed. It wasn’t. Mando went to press the button on his vambrace, but before he could someone called out to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, isn’t this a surprise. We don’t get very many of you around here.” A man stepped out of the shadows behind Mando, a large grin overtaking his face. Mando winced slightly when he saw him. There was a huge, jagged scar that ran the length of his entire face. The skin was puffy and red, like it hadn’t healed properly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The name’s Cros. I can tell you aren’t from around here, so I’ll make it easier on ya. Every person who comes to this town has to pay a fee. Hey now, don’t get defensive, I can see your hand moving to your blaster. This doesn’t have to end badly. Just give me a few pieces of your armor and you can be on your way.” Cros still had that smirk on his face. Mando didn’t respond. He just continued to stare at the man across from him. After a few seconds, the grin fell of Cros’s face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look, I don’t know who the hell you think you are, but I’m gonna tell you something. This is my town. Nobody does anything without my permission. You want to leave this place? I can make sure that will never happen. That rust bucket ship of yours could be blown to bits at the snap of my fingers.” Cros snapped his fingers to illustrate this and Mando felt his hands tighten into fists. This random criminal was beginning to grate on his nerves. It was bad enough that he hadn’t found what he was looking for and had to start back at the beginning. Now this thug thought he could just stroll on up and take some of his </span>
  <em>
    <span>armor</span>
  </em>
  <span>? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can have this armor, but you’ll have to take it from my dead body,” Mando replied to the man called Cros, speaking each word slowly. Cros let out a small sigh, before bringing his hand to his lips and letting out a high pitched whistle. All of sudden, people began to drop on the ground from the rooftops of the buildings above. Mando knew this would happen of course. He could see every single one of their heat signatures through his helmet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve heard Mandalorians are vicious warriors. I wonder if that’s true, considering your race was almost wiped out when the Empire rose.” Cros had that smirk back on his face again. “Once we kill you, we’ll take that child of yours to the leaders of the Guild. I’m sure they’ll be happy to have their quarry back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mando froze, cursing himself quietly in his head. As soon as Cros mentioned the Guild, he saw the flash of a tracking fob in the hands of one of the men that surrounded him. Of course the criminals on this shithole of a planet would have tracking fobs. The only way they can earn any sort of living would have to be through the Guild in a place like this. He was sure that after the situation on Nevarro and the death of Moff Gideon that he wouldn’t have to worry about Guild members anymore. Apparently, there were still some fobs in working order.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mando kept his hand near the blaster at his hip, but didn’t draw it. If they knew about the kid, he didn’t want to risk any of the men trying to grab him. He was severely outnumbered and if he was by himself, this would have been no problem. But he had to think about the kid. He couldn’t engage all of these men at once. There had to be at least thirty of them. Cros could tell he was deliberating, because he became even more obnoxious.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell you what, I’ll make it easy on ya. Just give me your helmet and we’ll let you pass.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Mandalorian didn’t know if this man knew about the Creed and chose this piece of his armor to purposely piss him off, or if he was trying to lure him into a trap. It didn’t matter. Before Cros could even blink, Mando had his blaster out and he shot the man standing next to him right between his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The street erupted into chaos.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Men immediately began drawing weapons. Some had guns, others had knives, but they were all charging at Mando at the same time. Before anyone could reach him, someone let out a horrifying scream. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone charging at Mando stopped and turned. Cros was on his knees, head bowed and shoulders shaking. He was holding the stump that used to be his arm, blood pouring down from the long gash on his face. Every man froze, including Mando. There was a figure in a dark cloak standing above Cros and in their hands were some of the strangest weapons Mando had ever seen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They had two swords in their hands, but they… weren’t swords.They glowed a bright blue and the sound emanating from them sounded like a low buzzing sound. Everyone around Mando began to back away, but before anyone could bolt, the figure spoke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought you lot had learned your lesson the first time you tried this. I spared your leader his eye the first time, but I guess he wasn’t thankful. Who else wants to lose a limb?” The voice was that of a woman. It pierced through the night, each word she said was enunciated slowly, as if she thought them all to be stupid. The men quickly scrambled away, some going straight into the dark alleyways and others climbing back on the roofs to run.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mando stayed where he was, watching everyone else run. The soft coo at his side made him turn to look at the kid. He was staring directly at the woman across from them, his eyes bright and shining. The kid lifted his arms toward the woman and began to squeak, like he wanted her to come closer. The woman still had her hood on, but Mando could make out part of her face in the artificial light from the buildings around them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She took a step toward them, but Mando put his hand on his blaster. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t,” he rasped. “That’s far enough.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman cocked her head to the side, the laser swords she had in her hand suddenly shutting off. She clipped them to the belt she had slung around her waist under the cloak. She raised her hands towards her hood and slowly lowered it. Mando just stared at the woman’s face, completely captivated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_____________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The dust is something you never understood about this place. It wasn’t a sand planet by any means, and yet, dust just happened to cover every single inch of this town. You weren’t complaining though. This place was light years better than Mos Espa on Tatooine. No amount of sonic showers would ever remove the sand and grime from your body on that planet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Today seemed like nothing special. You woke up before the sun rose to go and head out to the small merchant shop you worked at. It was cramped and smelled like rancid blue milk, but the owner was a kind elderly man and paid you about as well as you could expect from a small establishment such as this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a pretty cloudy day. The sun would try to break through the cloud coverage, but it would never quite make it through. You were busy organizing the different cloths and clothing items at the front of the store when you saw him walk by. No one new came to this planet without everyone knowing that they weren’t from here. Especially if it’s a Mandalorian. Some of them had come weeks prior. There were three of them, all of them wearing similar, blue painted armor. This one was different. His armor looked new and polished. You groaned inwardly. This planet was almost entirely thieves and murderers. Walking through the middle of town and basically flaunting the expensive beskar he had on his body was going to attract attention she was sure he would not appreciate. He was fortunate that it was still daylight. No smart criminal would ever try something during the middle of the day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You knew he could defend himself, that wasn’t why you were concerned. You saw the floating ball behind him, it’s top completely open. Inside, there was a small, green child. You walked closer to the window of the store to get a better look. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You almost dropped every article of clothing you had in your hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It can’t be,” you whispered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You had only ever seen one being like the once in that orb. The being that taught you how to control your visions, how to control your fear of the future.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Master Yoda</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Every memory you had suppressed over the years came flooding back. It hit you hard. You slumped against the wall, the clothes finally falling out of your hands as you put your fist in your mouth to stop the scream that was building in your throat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You thought you were past this. You thought you had conquered the horrifying memories of your childhood when the Purge began. You could hear the screams of the Jedi in the Temple, the blaster fire of the clones as they shot and killed your friends. You could see Master Shaak Ti ushering you and several padawans and younglings to the secret doorway that would lead to the ship hanger in the Temple. Master An’ya Kuro led you and everyone else through the darkened hallway and to the first ship you all laid eyes on. You could still see the smoke coming from the Temple as you flew away and out of Coruscant.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That’s enough</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You pinched the skin between your thumb and pointer finger, a technique you developed when the memories would try to overtake you. You took deep breaths, trying to calm yourself down before your customers came in and saw you about to have a full on panic attack at the entrance of the shop. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You worked the rest of the day in a trance. You kept replaying seeing the child over and over in your mind. You had no idea if this child was Force sensitive, but something told you it was. You wanted to try to reach out in the Force and find where they went, but you didn’t want to startle the child if he did end up being Force sensitive. Him and his armored companion could be hostile, though you couldn’t imagine a child being prone to violent outbursts. The Mandalorian on the other hand, that was a different story. What you know about the Mandalorians doesn’t give you a very good impression on them and the last thing you wanted was to get in a brawl with a warrior covered in impenetrable metal.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You needed to forget about the child. There was nothing you could do. They were probably just passing through and are already moving towards the next settlement. The thought shouldn’t depress you, but it does. That child reminded you so much of Master Yoda, the one Jedi who knew how to calm your nightmares and always understood your fears. Although you were an adult now and your feelings on the Jedi Order had changed greatly, you had nothing but warm memories of Master Yoda. He reminded you of the time before the Empire, when you still believed in the Jedi and their religion. You still considered yourself a Jedi, but… not really. There were some teachings that you didn’t agree with, that you won’t ever agree with, but it was the only thing you had known. You didn’t know your family. The only person who ever felt like a mother to you was long dead. You have been on your own since you were eighteen. At some point, you just stopped putting your trust in others and relied solely on yourself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The work day dragged by slowly and when the sun finally began to set, your boss told you to go home and rest. He looked at you sympathetically. You must look worse than you thought. Before you left the shop, you decided to try and sweep some of the dust out of the shop. You really liked your boss and knew he tried to do the harder jobs himself, but you wanted to do this for him, to let him know you appreciate his concern for you. Once you had finished, dust still managing to find places to evade you, you stepped out of the shop and began to walk to your flat above one of the many skeezy bars in the town. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As you were walking home, something told you to stop, to turn and go the other direction. Goosebumps began to spread along your arms. You had an estranged connection to the Force. After trying for years to shut it out, and it not complying, you gave up and let it stay within your grasp. You rarely used it for anything. Sometimes it would warn you about someone sneaking up on you or trying to steal the credits out of your bag while you’re walking. This was different. Something was about to go down, something the Force told you that you needed to be there for.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You took off down the street in the opposite direction, letting the Force guide you through the alleyways and in-between different buildings. That’s when you heard the silence. This town was not loud by any means, but it was never dead silence. That meant something was going down and those who didn’t want to be involved knew to get the fuck out of the way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You peeked out from behind one of the buildings and internally groaned. Cros Jeral, one of the most obnoxious and annoying criminals you have ever encountered, was standing off to the Mandalorian that you saw earlier. You couldn’t really make out what they were saying, but judging by the Mandalorian’s rigid posture and Cros’s cock-sure stance, he was trying to intimidate the Mandalorian into giving him something. Most likely his beskar armor. Beskar is extremely valuable, anyone who lives in criminally-run towns like these knows what really gets them riled up. Beskar is one of them. Any piece of the Mandalorian’s armor would sell for a high price and Cros knows it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You look past the Mandalorian and lay eyes on the floating orb. It’s completely open and the child inside is looking around at the surroundings, his ears dropping slightly. The men surrounding them begin to slowly approach the child. Your breath catches in your throat. It’s not just the beskar that they’re after, it's the child too. Your hand shifts to the pack at your shoulder before you can even think, rummaging quickly until your hand contacts the two things you're looking for.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cros’s men are about to engage. But before any of them do, the Mandalorian whips out his blaster faster than you thought possible, and shoots the guy next to him right between the eyes. The Force screams at you to move and so while the men run towards the Mandalorian, you run towards Cros. He stays behind, as always, never wanting to be the one to do the dirty work. You ignite your sabers and as Cros turns to you in surprise, you slice through his right shoulder and, for good measure, slice through the ugly scar on his face you gave him months ago. His arm falls immediately and he lets out the ugliest scream you had ever heard out of a human being. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone stops and turns to look at the both of you. You smirk underneath the hood of your cloak, their fear and confusion flowing freely through the Force.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought you lot had learned your lesson the first time you tried this. I spared your leader his eye the first time, but I guess he wasn’t thankful. Who else wants to lose a limb?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You watched everyone scramble away from you, until it’s just you, the Mandalorian, and the child left. The Mandalorian didn’t move his helmet away from your face. You knew he was trying to see you, to gauge who you were. The child had opened the doors to his floating crib and was staring at you. You felt him reach out to you in the Force and, without hesitating, you reached out. He let out a coo and you saw him reach towards you. Without thinking, you step forward. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Mandalorian isn’t having it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t,” he said to you, his voice coming out low and gruff. “That’s far enough.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You don’t know why you did this, when you think back on this moment later. You didn’t have to do this, but for some reason you felt like you owed it to the child… and the Mandalorian. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You reached for your hood and slowly removed it from your head, letting it fall against your back. You felt the wind hit your face, the breeze cool and crisp. The Mandalorian did not say a word, but his hand did drop away from his blaster. You gazed at the place where you thought his eyes would be through the visor, and didn’t look away. You both stood like this for a short time, before the child began to babble in the crib, drawing both of your heads toward him immediately.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The child was lightly yanking on the ragged cloak the Mandalorian had on his back, and pointing his tiny, three fingered hand at you. He continued to coo and gurgle at his… protector? Father? You had no idea what their relationship was to each other, but judging how the Mandalorian reacted to you trying to approach the child, they obviously cared about each other.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mean you or the child any harm,” you said gently to the Mandalorian. “It’s just that-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before you could even finish your sentence, you felt the Force screaming at you in your head. You jerked your head up towards the building to your left and saw a blaster trained directly at the child in the crib. Before you could even blink, the man fired. You jerked out your hand just as the Mandalorian rushed in front of the child, shielding him with his body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But the shot never hit its target. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It hung suspended in the air, crackling and sizzling with heat just inches from the Mandalorian’s chest. You saw him look behind him at the child, before slowly turning towards you. The man on the roof shouted in disbelief and, with a flick of your wrist, you sent the shot hurtling back to where it came from. The man immediately crumpled and his body fell completely off the roof and onto the ground.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turning your gaze back to the Mandalorian, you were finally able to make out some of his emotions. Usually, you could tell what people were feeling when they were around you, but ever since you had laid eyes on him it was hard to tell what he was feeling. His emotions were completely open now. Shock, disbelief, and maybe a little bit of awe? The child was gurgling and making a fuss, but he didn’t turn back to look at him. Neither did you. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the Mandalorian spoke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You are Jedi.”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Child</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Mandalorian wants you to train his kid, but you know it won't go the way he think it will.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“You are a Jedi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You clench your hands tightly into fists at your sides. Hearing that word come of his modulated mouth, it grated on your already frayed nerves. The adrenaline from the fight was slowly leaving your body and you felt your shoulders beginning to slouch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t call me that,” you spat at him, though you didn’t know why you were so angry. Weren’t you a Jedi? You wielded the Force with ease, you used lightsabers like it was second nature. So why would someone calling you by what you are hurt so much?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You know why.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The snide voice in your head began to curl around you, wanting you to fall into its dark embrace. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Think of what you did. What you failed to do. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You shook your head, stopping that train of thought before the memories could overwhelm you. For the second time that day. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Mandalorian was still staring at you, his posture more rigid due to you snapping at him. You sighed quietly. “That word… brings back some memories,” you admit to him, turning around and beginning to walk back towards the alleyway where you left your pack. You would be lucky if it was still there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait.” You turned to see the Mandalorian had taken a couple steps toward you. “Don’t leave. I need your help.” You smiled lightly, and turned back towards him and the child.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have to grab my pack from the alleyway back here. I’m not going anywhere.” That was a strange way to say that last part. It felt weird coming off your tongue. When was the last time you had told someone that you wouldn’t leave them?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Never</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The dark voice in your head snickered as you turned and walked toward the alleyway, thanking the Maker that your pack was still sitting up against the stone wall where you left it. When you walked back the Mandalorian was standing in the same spot, but this time he was holding the small, green child in his arms. He didn’t seem to notice you coming back, or simply didn’t care. He was too focused on the child. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You stopped for a moment to just stare at the both of them. The way the child looked at the Mandalorian, the amount of love in his gaze, made your heart clench painfully in your chest. If you could have seen the Mandalorian’s face, you would bet his gaze was the exact same. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>______________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You couldn’t remember your own parents. You were taken to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant when you were a toddler, which was basic for all younglings. You were only eight when the clone troopers stormed into the Temple, a dark cloaked figure leading the charge. You were walking through the main hall of the Temple with one of your friends before you felt a skull-shattering pain lace through your entire head. It sounded like thousands of voices screaming in agony and despair. You felt your knees drop to the ground, your friend calling your name in fear, and someone jerking you up on your feet.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was Master Shaak Ti. She was saying something, but you couldn’t hear her. All you could hear was the screaming in your head. She was pulling you down the hall, along with your friend and several others. She came to a wall at the back of the main hall and pressed her hand to the wall. It made a strange grinding sound, like stone sliding across broken glass, before a door opened in the wall. The passage was dark and smelled of old dust. You turned to see another Jedi standing beside Shaak Ti.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was Master Kuro. She stepped beside you and grabbed your hand gently, wiping some of your tears with her other hand. You looked up at her slightly graying hair and viscous blue eyes, and felt calmness spread throughout your entire body. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She would protect you. You knew she would. She would protect you all. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You snapped out of your daze, Master Kuro’s kind but determined gaze still fresh in your mind. She saved you from death and gave you a chance to live. To walk your own path. She stayed with you until her life was taken from her. The way that the child was looking at the Mandalorian, that was how you used to look at Master Kuro. Like he was the child’s whole world.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You cleared your throat as you walked towards the two of them, letting them know you were coming. The Mandalorian jerked his head up as you walked towards him, tucking the child further into his arms. The child looked in your direction, and he suddenly broke into a beautiful grin. You were taken aback. He looked straight into your eyes and didn’t look away as you came closer. He held out one hand to you and you gave him your pointer finger when you reached him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Mandalorian stiffened as you let the child grab your finger and squeeze it lightly, his delighted coos being the only things spoken between the three of you. The connection of the child to the Force was strong. You could feel it washing over you, like a cascading wave of calm, pure energy. The child wanted you to open up to him, like he was doing to you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You hesitated at first, but then decided to open some of your thoughts to him. You tucked away the dark whispers in your head to the deepest corners of your mind, where the child would never find them. The child kept his grip on your finger as he locked eyes with you and you felt something click. Like a key had turned and opened your soul up for the world to see. You gasped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This child was more powerful than you had once thought. His ability to connect with individuals was… stronger than you expected. He was sending every bit of warm feeling he could muster when he felt you shy away from him. You chided yourself. You shouldn’t be shying away from a child just trying to get to know you. He probably had never seen a fellow Force user before, or had he? He was urging you forward, he wanted to share something with you. Something important to him. You cut the connection before he could go any further. He cooed sadly when you gently pried your finger out of his hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This town is not safe after dark. Cros and his men are not the only ones who lurk in the shadows,” you said to the Mandalorian, who had been watching your interaction with the child the entire time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where do you suggest we go,” he asked quietly, the timbre of his voice pitched low under the modulator of his helmet. Something deep inside of you internally shivered, but you brushed it off quickly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I suggest you return to your ship and leave this planet,” you replied, glancing over at the child beginning to droop in his arms. The Mandalorian immediately shook his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have been searching for more of his kind. I came to this planet expecting to find Mandalorians who could help us track down a Jedi. I need your help.” You felt the blood leave your face as soon as the words left his mouth, thankfully it was dark enough to where he couldn’t see.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I am not who you think I am,” you said to him quietly. The Mandalorian took a step closer to you and you immediately took a step back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please,” he said. “I have been tasked to return this child to one of his own kind. I was sworn by creed. He needs someone to train him, to help him control his abilities.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He can wield the Force?” You looked over at the now sleeping child, trying to guess how old he was. You didn’t know his exact species, but Master Yoda had been around nine hundred years old when you last saw him. There’s no telling how old this child could be.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He can move objects with his mind. I’ve seen him do it on multiple occasions. Though nothing like you did back there with the blaster shot.” The Mandalorian trained his visor straight at you, and you knew he was looking straight into your eyes. You stared back, before slowly stepping away from him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This child,” you began. “He needs a real Jedi, not me. I fell from the Jedi Order a long time ago.” You tried to turn, but the Mandalorian did something you did not expect. He grabbed your elbow, not roughly, but hard enough to turn you back towards him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know anything about the Jedi or what they stand for. But I do know one thing. The kid he… he trusts you. He doesn’t react that way to strangers, he doesn’t just look at them like they’re exactly what he was looking for..” The Mandalorian’s voice sounded almost-sad. Like he did something wrong. You felt for the Mandalorian, you really did. Wanting to make the person you care about happy and pleased with you, you know the feeling. You’ve been through it all. But you knew how situations like this turned out. The way you’ve managed to survive this long is because you don’t make friends. You don’t risk yourself for anyone else. It’s just been you ever since Master Kuro died. Any person you got close to after her, ended up getting hurt just being around you. You would never want to subject the child or the Mandalorian to the bad luck that always seems to follow you wherever you go. Even though the Empire had fallen, you still felt the pain that it brought you lingering over your life everyday. It always had you looking over your shoulder, expecting to see that red lightsaber ignite behind you and stab you in the back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t,” you pleaded to the Mandalorian. Couldn’t he see? Everything about you was a complete disaster. From your ragged clothes to your dirt-stained skin, you were not the person he wanted to train this child. He shouldn’t even want to train the child in the first place.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s too dangerous for him. And for you. His abilities in the Force will draw unwanted attention to him. It would be better for you to… let his abilities fade.” You cringed as you said the last part. You would never want to deny anyone their right to train their abilities naturally given to them. They were once seen as a gift. Now, in your eyes, they were like a curse you couldn’t ever be free of. But this child still had a chance. He was young. If he stopped using his Force abilities, they could go dormant and he could live a safer life. A free life. The life you wanted from the day you flew away from the burning ruins of the Jedi Temple.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is it too dangerous for him,” the Mandalorian said quietly. “Or for you?” You glared at him, knowing he could see your fierce expression even in the dim light of the street.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s dangerous for the both of us,” you snarled at him. “As well as for you. I’ve heard rumors from the Underworld here. You're the Mandalorian who took the valuable quarry from Nevarro. If you want to keep this child safe, you will hide and keep what he is hidden.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I made a promise,” he said to you. “It’s not one that can ever be broken. I agreed to unite this child with his own kind. If you claim you aren’t Jedi, then you can help me find one.” You stood frozen in the middle of the street, at a complete loss for words. Did he really think you would know where any Jedi were, if there were even any left at all?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Jedi Order fell, you insolent fool,” you hissed at him, fury laced through your tone. “They were wiped out by the Empire and the troops that used to fight for them. If anyone survived that, then the Inquisitors likely took them out soon after.” You felt light tremors go through your body at the mention of the Inquisitors, the order of dark-side Force users commanded by the Emperor and his guard dog to hunt down all remaining Jedi. One of them almost killed you. If it hadn’t been for Master Kuro, you would have been dead long ago.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Mandalorian didn’t seem fazed by your outburst. Instead, he seemed to sink farther back on his heels. Standing his ground. You narrowed your eyes. He looked so at ease with the sleeping child in his arms, you couldn’t make yourself understand why he would want to give up this child to you or any other Jedi, he obviously cared about the child more than he was letting on. The way his whole body was maneuvered to make sure the child was comfortable, almost made your heart melt, had you not been furious with him. You decided to take a different approach to this debate, but it couldn’t be done in the middle of this road that you two had been standing on for longer than was necessary.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You rolled your shoulder back, hearing them crack and pop as you did so. You winced. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I definitely need to invest in a mattress of some sort in the future.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s getting colder. I’m going to head over my quarters. There’s a small cantina below it. If you want to discuss the child, we can do so there.” With that last statement, you swiftly turned and hoisted your pack higher on your shoulder, before strolling away towards your intended destination. You heard the steps of the Mandalorian following you. They were surprisingly lighter sounding than what you expected. With all that armor, you expected his steps to sound much heavier on the ground. He didn’t say a word as he followed you down the streets and alleyways to the cantina, though he was never far behind you. You glanced over your shoulder once to see him placing the child gently back in his floating crib, touching his forehead lightly as he pulled the small blankets over the child to keep him warm. You felt your heart squeeze tightly at the display of affection. As if he felt you looking at him, the Mandalorian turned in your direction. You quickly averted your eyes and faced forward once again, continuing the trek.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once you arrived at the cantina door, you knocked heavily on the metal door. A few seconds later, a Rodian opened the small slit in the doorway that allowed him to see who it was. He grunted when he saw you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know the rules Myla. I don’t want trouble in my establishment,” said Varmac, the owner of the cantina and the person you paid your rent to each month. He was eyeing your companion behind you wearily, taking in the blasters and explosives he had attached to his body. You simply rolled your eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As I recall, I pay my rent on time every month and isn’t one of your policies ‘No questions asked?’” You watched him narrow his eyes at you, before shutting the tiny slit and finally opening the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want any trouble Myla, or I’m doubling your rent for the rest of the year,” Varmac warned before walking back to his designated seat at the back of the cantina, where he could keep an eye on everyone. You rolled your eyes again at his antics. Varmac wasn’t the worst person you could have had to pay rent to, but he was picky about who he let into his cantina. The good thing was that there were hardly any fights and criminals were not frequent in the place.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You led the Mandalorian and the child to a booth on the opposite side of the cantina from Varmac. As you took your seat across the booth, you noticed he wasn’t sitting down. You looked up at him curiously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your name’s Myla?” He seemed intrigued by this, like he couldn’t believe this was your name. It wasn’t. But he wouldn’t know that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You grinned at him. “What? Is it not to your approval,” you drawled as he slowly sat down across from you. He didn’t answer, but his helmet tilted precariously in your direction.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A droid approached the table to ask for your drink order, but you waved him off. You noticed how the Mandalorian visibly stiffened when the droid approached, his posture going entirely rigid and more hostile than had been moments before. You raised your eyebrows slightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Interesting</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You tucked away that piece of information in your head for later. For now, you and the Mandalorian just stared at each other. Honestly, it was beginning to weird you out a bit. You could tell he wasn’t one to initiate a conversation, but he wasn’t awkward about it or anything. It was natural for him, waiting for someone else to speak first. Well, it was natural for you too, but unfortunately you just wanted to get it through the Mandalorian’s thick head the reasons why you would not be a good teacher for the child and that you had not had contact with any Jedi for almost twenty years.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look,” you began quietly, making sure you were staring at him intently so he could see just how serious you were. “I understand you made a promise, or oath, or whatever your ‘creed’ called you to do. But there are things you don’t understand. This child deserves better than what I could ever teach him. I will admit I was once a Jedi and received full training as one, but that was years ago. I am a different person now, with different values. I don’t know any Jedi that are currently alive and quite honestly, I don’t want to. It’s a part of my life I would rather try and forget.” You took a deep breath after you gave your little speech. The Mandalorian hadn’t moved at all, only to tilt his helmet slightly as you spoke. You got the feeling that he was trying to figure you out, but he was not going to find out so easily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you have anything to say,” you asked him sharply, his silence beginning to really get on your nerves. He didn’t speak right away, but when he did, you were surprised by his conviction.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes,” he said to you quietly. “We all have to do things we didn’t expect. The kid needs your help. As soon as we landed on this planet he started acting strange, all giddy and restless. I believe it’s because he knew you were here through… your mind powers or whatever that you guys can do.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were already shaking your head. “Don’t you understand,” you pleaded. “I am no longer a Jedi. I’m the last person you want training your child, or ward, or whatever he is to you.” You glanced over at the sleeping child in his bassinet, feeling sadness prick at your heart. This child deserved better than what you could give, someone who actually knew their place in the galaxy. You have been lost for a long time, the last thing you wanted to do was pull others along with you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt the Mandalorian tracking your gaze, the hand he had resting on the table squeezing tightly into a fist, drawing your gaze back toward him. “Please,” he gritted out through the modulator. “I need your help. If you can’t train him, then you must help me find someone who will.” You wanted to disagree with him again, but before you could open your mouth you heard a quiet coo. The baby had woken up and was staring between you and the Mandalorian, his tiny forehead crinkled. When he rested his full gaze on you, an image came crashing into your head. You gasped loudly, nearly falling completely out of the booth. The other people around you stared at you quizzically as you struggled to gain your composure. You felt your eyes widen as you stared at the child. He was staring even more intently at you now. You felt your eyes beginning to water.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The image he shared with you, the memory he allowed you to see, was you walking through the halls of the Jedi Temple as a child. This child recognized you from his memories. It was so clear and so vivid, it felt like you were actually back at the Temple on Coruscant. It finally dawned on you then. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This child had lived at the Temple. The same Temple you had lived at for your entire childhood. That meant… </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You looked back over at the child to see him fast asleep once again, but you already had your answer. You stood from the booth and the Mandalorian quickly followed suit, not quite sure what had just transpired between you and the kid.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I will meet you at your ship tomorrow at first light.” That was all you said to him before you strode to the staircase that lined the back wall of the cantina, which led up to the lodging rooms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You didn’t look behind you, but you knew the Mandalorian stood and watched you climb the stairs all the way up to your room.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Memory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>You have decided to travel with the Mandalorian and the Child to help them search for Jedi across the galaxy.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you guys for the kudos and comments, it really means a lot to me that you guys are enjoying the story so far!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>You didn’t get any sleep that night.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Instead, you went around the tiny room you called a home and packed what you needed into the small pack that you always carried. You wouldn’t miss this place, but it had been a decent place to live. You left a note for Varmac for when he came to do the monthly check-ins, as well as your payment of your rent for the month. After you had finished packing and doing a little cleaning, you decided to go ahead and do the much needed maintenance on your lightsabers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As you dismembered the two hilts and began to clean off some of the metal pieces, your mind couldn’t help but go back to the memory that the child had shared with you. You knew it was you. Even though you were much younger in his memory, you recognized your dark brown robes and your hair that you could never manage to keep brushed. The fact that the child had this memory shocked you more than seeing your past self. This child was at the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Temple. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He recognized you. Did that mean he was there when the Purge happened? How did he get off the planet? You had a lot of questions, but the only way you would get any answers would be to go with the child and the Mandalorian.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The thought of being on a ship with the Mandalorian was strange. You had no idea who he was, or what he even looked like. He could be insane for all you knew. But what you had seen so far, between him and the child, gave you some hope that he mind be decent company. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At the very least, he would stay out of your way.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>____________</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once the sun began to peak over the horizon, you shouldered on your pack and set off down your stairs and out the door of the cantina, making sure to steer clear of the people passed out on the floor who hadn’t been able to take themselves home. It was chilly out, chillier than you were expecting. You had your cloak on and decided to pull the hood up over your head to block out the chill of the wind. You began walking towards the space port outside of the town. It wouldn’t be difficult to find his ship, there were never very many outsiders who came to this planet, and when they did, it was usually to the only city this planet had, which was miles away from here.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As you approached the docking bays, you decided to see if you could reach out and find the presence of the child. It wouldn’t hurt him or anything, and he wouldn’t even know. You kept your Force signature hidden, something you learned to do while being on the run from the Inquisitor, who made it his life’s sole mission to find you. You were never adept at shielding yourself from others, even when you were still a student at the Temple and when Master Kuro began your padawan training on the planet Dianth. But, at some point, you managed to hide your signature well.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You stopped and stepped to the side so you wouldn’t be in the way of other people walking through the docking bays, and closed your eyes. Reaching out through the Force, you felt around for what you imagined would be the strongest presence. You moved slowly, letting the feeling of connection flow through you completely. You sighed quietly. Sometimes, you forgot how peaceful the flow of the Force could be when you let yourself become one with it. When you had cut yourself off from it years ago, it was like a part of your soul had disappeared. It felt like your very essence had changed. Once the Empire fell, you allowed it to flow through once again. Allowing yourself to open to the Force had felt like being welcomed back into a warm embrace, the feeling so strong it had brought you to your knees the first time. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now, as you felt every presence throughout the docking bay, you felt a light brighter than any on this planet. That was definitely the child. You felt the presence of the Mandalorian as well, it was quiet and tranquil. It felt like the very definition of peace, which was strange for one who comes from a race of warriors. You knew where they both were, but you wanted to take a moment to study the Mandalorian while you were in this state. You knew he was pacing, his signature moving back and forth constantly. The child seemed to be inside what must have been the ship they would be flying, because the child’s presence was slightly muffled, which meant there was at least one wall between him and the open air. The Mandalorian’s general presence was peaceful, but when you took a closer look you could feel his anxiety. He was worried about something. You didn’t want to look into his mind, and his mental shields were probably strong. But you were curious about what had him so worried, though there could be a number of things. You had to remember, you didn’t know him. This would be new territory for you. This would be the first time you have flown on a ship with anybody but yourself since you went on the run from the Inquisitor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You let your mind slowly drift back to your body and then opened your eyes. You began walking toward the bay where the Mandalorian was docked. Once you arrived at the hanger, you spotted him pacing outside what was possibly the ugliest looking ship you had ever seen. You groaned inwardly. How in the Maker did he get that piece of scrap metal off the ground? It definitely had to be a pre-Empire ship, there’s no way anyone of Imperial status would ever be caught dead flying that. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Mandalorian seemed to spot you approaching, because he stopped pacing and waited for you to get closer to the ship, his shoulders seeming to relax slightly. Your eyebrows shot up in surprise. Was he worried about you </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>showing up? Although, if you were being honest with yourself, you did consider it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When you were reassembling your sabers last night, it did occur to you to just leave town and not look back. The last thing you wanted to do was travel the galaxy to try and find members of a dead religion. But then you remembered what the child had shown you, how he smiled at you so brightly when he first saw you. You couldn’t abandon him. You were fortunate to have been able to get off Coruscant with your fellow students at the Temple, and even more fortunate that a fully trained Jedi Master had accompanied you all. This child most likely didn’t have any of that. You owed him a chance to have someone around who understood what he had been through. Once you and the Mandalorian were able to locate a Jedi, if there were any out there at all, then you would be free to go back to living your life in solitude. The thought didn’t excite you very much.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good morning,” you said to the Mandalorian as you reached the ship. He lowered his head to you in acknowledgement. “Didn’t think you were gonna show,” he told you, turning towards the ramp of his ship.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait,” you said quickly, and he turned around while halfway up the ramp. “I have rules for this little ‘excursion’ we are about to embark on. I will help you find a Jedi to take the child to… and I will do some light training with him. I can communicate with him to see what he already knows, but I want to make sure you understand how this whole situation could turn out. If we don’t find any Jedi, and it’s very apparent that there aren't any to be found, I will leave. I can’t fully train for this child because it would be unfair to him. If he wants to receive real training, it will be from a true Jedi. Do you understand?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You looked him dead in the visor of his helmet. He stood still for a moment, before nodding his head gently. “I understand. Thank you for your help in this.” With that statement, he resumed walking up the ramp and you quickly followed suit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>___________</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How in the Maker have you been able to keep this thing in one piece,” you said to the Mandalorian as he took off from the hanger and began leaving the atmosphere of the planet. He didn’t respond to you at all, no acknowledgement whatsoever. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You rolled your eyes. So this is how it was going to be, complete silence. You couldn’t be mad about it, at least that meant he wouldn’t go out of his way to talk to you when you wanted to be alone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once the ship was out of the planet’s atmosphere and had descended into hyperspace, the Mandalorian stood from the pilot's seat and went to the ladder that would lead down to the hull. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come down here and I’ll show you where everything is,” he said to you, before lowering himself onto the ladder. You scrambled out of your seat and descended after him. He was waiting for you at the bottom of the ladder and once your feet had touched the ground, he gestured over to your left.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s the fresher over there. The water should be hot, but if it’s not, tell me. There is a cot over here by the ladder that you can use. My weapons are kept here.” You looked straight across to where he was pointing to see two, large metal doors. He continued speaking. “Don’t open them and don’t touch anything in there unless I say so. As far as I can tell, you have weapons of your own.” He gestured to the pack on your shoulder, where you kept your lightsabers. Your eyes narrowed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not some little kid looking for shiny, new toys,” you said to him sharply. He didn’t seem to care about your tone of voice as he continued to tell you where things were. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Past the weapons safe, there is a bed back behind that door. I don’t use it often, so if you don’t want the cot you can use the bed instead.” A small shiver went up your spine. He was offering for you to sleep on his bed. You felt heat rush to your cheeks, like some little naive school girl.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Maker, get yourself together.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You listened to him finish his little tour of the hull, before you felt something lightly grab onto the leg of your pants. You looked down to see the child smiling up at you, his delighted coos and gurgles filling your ears. You gave him a small smile, and he raised his arms up. He wanted you to pick him up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You glanced over at the Mandalorian. He was watching you, but he made no move to stop you as you bent over and took the child into your arms. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You were surprised at how light he felt in your arms, as if you were carrying nothing at all. The child wrapped his small hands around your forearm as he rested his cheek against your collarbone, sighing contentedly. You felt yourself tighten your grip on him, almost unconsciously bringing him closer to the bare skin exposed at your neck. The child nuzzled into you. You felt emotion beginning to build in the back of your throat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You knew you made the right decision coming onto the ship with the Mandalorian. This child needs comfort, he needs to be able to look up and see a familiar face. You glanced over at the Mandalorian. He was standing in the same spot, but he was noticeably more tense and your eyes were once again drawn to his hands. They were clenched into fists, the leather of his gloves squeaking slightly when he would release pressure, only to add it right back on. He probably thought you were going to smother his kid or something, but you couldn’t find yourself wanting to put the child down. He had been slowly beginning to fall back asleep against you, he probably wasn’t used to being up this early in the morning. Or maybe he was? You had no idea what kind of schedule the Mandalorian kept around here.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are we headed,” you asked the Mandalorian quietly, as to not disturb the child. That seemed to snap him out of whatever funk he was in, because he jerked his shoulders slightly as you spoke to him. He began walking towards the ladder that would lead up to the cockpit and answered you once he had reached the first rung.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tatooine.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>__________</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had only been a couple of hours, and you were already bored out of your fucking mind. The child was still asleep and the Mandalorian had not come down from the cockpit, so you have just been sitting in the hull on your cot, twiddling your thumbs. You wanted to go up to the cockpit, just for some change of scenery, but you didn’t want to agitate the Mandalorian. He had already been acting standoff-ish as soon as you had stepped foot on his ship, the last thing you wanted to deal with was his attitude. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>While you were mulling over this in your head, the child had woken from his spot on your cot. He crawled over and plopped himself right in the center of your lap. It startled you. The child let out a small coo and grabbed onto the front of your shirt. He stood up on his little legs and put his tiny hands on your cheeks. You instantly felt yourself relax, not realizing how wound up and tense you were. You felt the Force move around the two of you, before feeling a presence gently pressing on your mind. The child used his little fingers to lower your head down to his, where he could rest his forehead on yours.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wanted to show you more. More of what happened to him at the Temple. You could feel his memories creeping over you, threatening to swallow you whole. These were not the bright, happy memories he had shown you when you first met him. These were… dark. It felt like everything from your surroundings fell away and it was just your breath and the child’s moving as one. You let go of the shield you had on your mind and let the child in.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>_________</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It was hot. There was something burning nearby and you couldn’t seem to escape the heat. Everything around you was larger than life, and it frightened you. As you began to panic, you had to remind yourself that this was just a memory the child was sharing with you. You were seeing everything from his eyes. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Taking a deep breath-which you instantly regretted because your lungs inhaled the large amounts of smoke in the air-you looked around at your surroundings. There were Jedi running everywhere. People were screaming, shouting names for people you couldn’t remember. You stepped backwards only to be met with stone against your back. You turned around to see you were standing in a secluded corner of the Temple. Panic began to invade your reasoning again. You had to get out of the corner. If anyone found you here, you would be trapped and easily killed. Before you could move, a shadow cascaded over your small body. You looked up.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Jocasta Nu stood above you, lightsaber in hand, her gaze wild and untamed. Even though she was an older woman, she had never looked more powerful. With her free arm she picked you up and tucked you into the crook of her arm. Your face was hidden in her robes, but you could feel her begin to run, the thundering of her footsteps spreading throughout your small body. She didn’t stop running for a long time, even when you felt the outside air and could hear the sound of Coruscanti traffic. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The next memory you saw was in a different setting. You were sitting on the ground, something soft in your hand, and Master Nu was standing above you, her face kind and open.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Grogu,” she said to you. “It’s time for bed.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>_________</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You ripped yourself out of the child’s memories before he could continue, not thinking you could bear anymore. You felt slightly nauseous, your head spinning and you were burning up. It felt like you were still in the Temple, hearing the screams and cries of your friends being slaughtered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The child was whimpering in your arms, his hands still on your cheeks, like he was trying to comfort you.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Grogu,” you whispered to him, wanting to see what his reaction would be. His ears perked up immediately. You whispered his name again, and this time he let out a small coo. You felt yourself smile, your nerves beginning to calm down a bit. He had let you see memories that were important in his life, and he had given you his name. You picked him up off your lap and held him to your chest. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you for showing me,” you said quietly in his ear. He gurgled happily and you once again felt emotion clogging your throat. This poor child. Your heart ached for him. He hasn’t been able to communicate with someone for so long, and he trusted you enough to share something with you that was painful to him. You could feel his pain the entire time he was showing you the memory. Before you dragged yourself out, you could feel his memories getting darker and knew there was more to what happened to him. Maybe you would let him show you the rest of his memories some other time, but you couldn’t handle it all today. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You once again felt him poking at the shields you had around your mind. He wanted you to let him in fully, wanted you to share something with him. You shook your head. You couldn’t go there. The memories you have are something the chi-Grogu-should never have to see. If you went into the part of your mind where you kept all the horrors of your past, they would never stop coming. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Grogu looked up at you with sad eyes, and you resolved yourself even more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t,” you said to him. He put his hand to your cheek once again, looking into your eyes as he did so. Though he was disappointed about not getting to see some of your memories, he didn’t push into your mind anymore. He just looked at you with open emotion and expression, and it nearly took your breath away at how honest it was. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>_________</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You didn’t hear the Mandalorian when he came down the ladder, nor did you see him standing a little ways away, watching your exchanges with Grogu. His helmet never strayed from you or the child as you continued to speak quietly to him. He saw your arms bring the child closer to your chest, and as you kissed his wrinkled forehead, the Mandalorian felt something inside him warm. The child in your arms was completely enamored with your gaze, that even he did not see the Mandalorian when he climbed back up the ladder once again, making sure to not disturb the both of you.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Desert</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"But in the desert, in the pure, clean atmosphere, in the silence-there you can find yourself."<br/>-Father Dioscuros</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry it's been so long since the last update! School and life has been a little crazy lately, but I will try to update more often. Hope you all enjoy this chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>You fucking hated Tatooine. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Like, actually fucking hated the entire planet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was sand </span>
  <em>
    <span>everywhere</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You couldn’t escape it, no matter how many times you changed your clothes or used any sonic shower on the planet, there was always sand in places you didn’t even know existed. The Mandalorian had landed the ship before you had woken up this morning, so you were greeted with the hot, dry air of Tatooine as soon as you awoke. When you had exited the ship, the Mandalorian was talking to a small, curly-haired woman, who was currently holding Grogu in her arms. You made your way over to them, and the Mandalorian turned to look at you, his helmet tilting slightly to look at your entire body. Something inside you heated at his gaze, but you ignored it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You learned that the woman’s name was Peli. Apparently, she and the Mandalorian had… encountered each other before. Grogu seemed to like her and the Mandalorian didn’t seem </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> intense, so you kept a relaxed smile on your face and told her your name was Myla. The Mandalorian still didn’t know that it was just a fake name you made for yourself, and you still planned to keep it that way. He didn’t offer his name to you, something you knew was probably sacred and forbidden in his… religion or whatever. You still didn’t fully understand all the Mandalorian rules and such, and the Mandalorian hadn’t explained them to you, so you didn’t ever try to engage in the conversation. You haven’t even had a decent conversation with him yet, both of you going out of your ways to avoid each other. Usually, that’s how you would want it to be when you had to travel with someone for a short while. But for some reason, it didn’t appeal to you as much anymore.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Peli was babbling on about something the Mandalorian had asked her. She said the name Mos Pelgo and your head shot up towards her immediately.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mos Pelgo,” you exclaimed. “I thought that place was gone.” Peli stared at you, bewilderment flashing across her face, before turning to amusement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ve lived on Tatooine,” Peli said to you, not bothering to actually ask you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You nodded in confirmation. “I worked at a shop in Mos Espa for about two years. Took every bit of my savings to buy a ship to get off this dust bowl. Never thought I would ever end up back here again.” You looked over at the Mandalorian to see him staring directly at you. It almost startled you when he spoke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You never told me you had been here before,” he said to you flatly, like this was some important information he should have been aware of. You grinned at him and your eyes were drawn to his right hand clenching into a fist slightly. What was it with him and his damn hands? It seemed like anytime you opened your mouth it put him on edge.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Peli laughed out loud at the exchange. “Well Mando, I didn’t expect you to take on any more crew besides the little one. I guess your girlfriend must be something special.” Your body completely froze and you know the Mandalorian did the same, the Force around you churning with emotion that you couldn’t place. You didn’t know whether to laugh outright or run away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not like that,” you told Peli quickly, the words tumbling out of your mouth. “I’m just here to help with Gr-I mean the kid. The pay was good, so I decided to travel with the two of them.” Peli looked between the two of you, and then looked again. She didn’t seem convinced. You didn’t know what to tell her, it was the truth. The Mandalorian could hardly stand to be in your presence for more than ten seconds before he had had enough.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Grogu began wiggling in Peli’s arms, whimpering softly. He was reaching for you and you immediately went to him. Gently lifting him out of Peli’s arms, you tucked him against your chest and he sighed happily. He must have been feeling the tension between the three of you and it made him unhappy. Peli didn’t seem to notice-or didn’t care-because she continued on speaking to the Mandalorian about what they were talking about before you came out of the ship.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anyways, Mos Pelgo is still around, but it will take about a day to get there. You can’t go in the Razor Crest, the townsfolk will hear you comin’ from miles away,” Peli said to the Mandalorian.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you still have that speeder bike,” Mando asked her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it barely starts, but I’ve got it.” Peli walked back towards another room in her shop and it was just you and the Mandalorian, along with little Grogu. You both didn’t speak, silently waiting for Peli to return with the speeder. Grogu was moving around in your arms and when you looked down at him, you saw he was reaching for the Mandalorian. You took a step towards the warrior and he came up to you quickly, startling you. He took Grogu from your arms and held him, still not saying a word. It still struck you as odd, he hadn’t really spoken to you at all since you first boarded his ship. You couldn’t figure him out, and it was really starting to bother you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are we doing on Tatooine,” you decided to ask, because for some reason it hadn’t already crossed your mind as to why you were on this miserable planet. The Mandalorian tilted his visor towards you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There was another lead I was following while I was visiting your planet. I was told there was a Mandalorian on Tatooine. I was hoping for more than one, that’s why I went to your planet first. Since I couldn’t find them, my next best option was here.” You were still confused.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why do you need to find a Mandalorian,” you asked him quizzically. He sighed slowly, as if it were paining him to explain this to you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Remember how I told you I was looking for other Mandalorians to help me track down a Jedi.” He waited for you to nod before he continued. “Well, that’s what we’re doing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But, then why did you want me to come with you? You said you wanted me to help you find a Jedi, and I told you I had no idea, but you still wanted me to come along, even when you knew you had another lead to help. So, why did you want me to come with you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Mandalorian didn’t answer you right away, as if he was mulling over what he had to say. You were so unbelievably confused at this point. Was he hoping you would change your mind about training Grogu? You had told him the morning you arrived at his ship that you would help the kid with some things, but not everything. You were pulled out of your mind when the Mandalorian finally answered you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because the kid liked you. I felt like… he needed someone around that was like him.” You didn’t really know what to say to that, so you just nodded your head at him and looked towards the direction where Peli was leading the speeder bike. She looked over at the two of you, obviously recognizing the tension that continued to be there even after she left. She grinned at the two of you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, don’t just stand there! Your ride awaits!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>___________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You always imagined beskar armor as being extremely uncomfortable to wear. It had crossed your mind several times when you were bored on the flight to Tatooine, everytime the Mandalorian walked by. The thought of having to wear that armor all day made your muscles twinge in imaginary exhaustion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, you didn’t have to imagine beskar being uncomfortable, because you have been squashed against it for the past three hours. The speeder bike graced you with zero personal space away from the Mandalorian. You envied Grogu, with his own little personal bag to lounge in comfortably, while you were stuck with metal digging into your breasts. It had been a while since you were this close to someone, you usually traveled alone and if you did happen to travel with another person, it was never for long. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the speeder crested over the sandy dunes of Tatooine, the twilight of the twin suns gleamed blindingly off of the beskar of the Mandalorian. It was beginning to get dark, and you both were not close enough to Mos Pelgo to make it before then. Your hands were gripping tightly onto Mando’s utility belt, trying not to get thrown off as he flew over the tops of the sand dunes. Honestly, he was a pretty decent pilot when it came to ships, but speeders were a different story. If you weren’t pressed so tightly against him, you would have been thrown off hours ago.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” you shouted over the whirring of the speeder. “It’s getting dark, we need to find a place to stop for the night.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There is an encampment about three miles out. We can stay there for the night,” he responded, the modulator of his helmet carrying over the wind screaming around your ears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What encampment? No one is stupid enough to…” You stopped talking once you realized who the only people on Tatooine were that stayed in camps out in the middle of the desert.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” you shouted. The Mandalorian didn’t respond, and you screamed internally. Was he insane? Had he actually lost his mind? You knew he had been to Tatooine before, his exchange with Peli showed you that, but why in all the seven hells would he have befriended </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tusken Raiders</span>
  </em>
  <span>? You figured this wouldn’t be the last time he surprised you with his strange circumstances, and if you had considered jumping off the speeder… you were still squeezed too tight to even make the effort.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>___________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When the three of you arrived at the Tusken encampment, you were greeted by two raiders who were guarding the outside of the camp. Then, out of the blue, the Mandalorian started </span>
  <em>
    <span>speaking like the Tuskens</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You felt your eyes bulge out of your head in surprise. Was he raised by these people or something? He spoke it fluently, with no trouble whatsoever. Your surprise slowly melted into… respect. You weren’t a fan of the Tusken Raiders by any means, your reaction to him telling you that you all would be staying with them for a night was enough explanation. But, the Mandalorian had taken the time to learn their language and they seemed very passive, nothing like what you had experienced the last time you had encountered them in Mos Espa. You would still be wary, you knew any little misstep around them could potentially set them off and put them on a violent streak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two Tuskens led you all to a large fire in the middle of the camp. There were some stones surrounding the fire for sitting, so you cautiously sat down. You took your pack off your shoulder, checking to make sure you had your sabers and your spare blaster. Just in case.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Mandalorian continued speaking with the Tuskens, and you had absolutely no idea what was going on. He seemed to be pointing in the direction they had been traveling, grunting and growling the language of the Tuskens as he did so. They responded in kind and seemed to be pointing in the same direction, as if confirming something. The Mandalorian must have been asking if they were going in the right direction towards the town.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were starving, and it was made apparent by the loud growl your stomach let out. Everyone sitting around the fire stopped what they were doing and looked directly at you. Your face was on fire, it felt like every ounce of blood in your body went straight into your cheeks. The raider sitting beside you held out some sort of… fruit? Vegetable, plant, you had no fucking idea what it was. They held it out in front of you and dug both of their thumbs into it, poking a hole in the top. When the hole opened up, a greenish mist came out of it, and you instantly slid back on the rock you were sitting on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What the hell is that,” you asked the Mandalorian, who you had slid into accidentally. His arm wrapped around your waist to keep you from falling out of your seat. If your face hadn’t already been warm, it definitely would have been now. His arm was wrapped tightly around you, and you felt yourself wanting to relax into his chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I bet if he didn’t have all that armor on, he would be really soft.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You stopped that train of thought before it could even begin. You remove yourself from his arm and are about to decline whatever the raider had offered you, but the Mandalorian put a hand on your shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you turn it down, it will make them angry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hand on your shoulder was shooting sparks down your arm and you quickly shoved him off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t even look edible,” you whispered to him, even though the Tuskens most likely didn’t understand what you were saying anyway. They were a people who watched your body language, they could tell what you were saying through the way you carried yourself. Right now, with your body all tense and your face cast in a grimace, they didn’t need to understand your words. The raider holding the strange fruit out to you shoved it into your hands before you could stop them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You looked around to see all of them watching you, waiting to see what you would do. You fought the urge to turn and look back at the Mandalorian. Steeling yourself, you tipped your head back and drank the liquid that was inside. It was… not bad. It had a strange earthy, but sweet flavor, which was extremely surprising. You drank every bit of it, your hunger making itself known once again as soon as the juice hit your tongue. The Tuskens seemed pleased, and once you had finished, they all got up from around the fire and stalked off to their tents. The Mandalorian stood with them, Grogu fast asleep in his arms, and led you to the outside of the camp. There was a tent set up aside from the rest. You felt something drop in your stomach.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were going to have to stay in the same tent as him. You wouldn’t be able to sleep with him right next to you, your nerves were still on edge after him just laying a single hand on you. You didn’t know what was going on. You had been with men before, and women. Sometimes you just needed an escape, a way to release some of the constant tension you harbored in your body. Nobody you had ever slept with had ever affected you like the Mandalorian seemed to. Maybe it was just because of the mystery of what he looked like, or the way he cared for Grogu when he thought you weren’t looking. On the Razor Crest, you would lie in your cot and watch the Mandalorian feed Grogu when he thought you were asleep. Everytime he came down from the cockpit, you were awake, like your body knew when to expect him. You both never really acknowledged each other the entire way to Tatooine. You could tell he wasn’t ignoring you or trying to be disrespectful. It was just how he was. He didn’t talk when he didn’t have to and gave you as much space as possible. He was considerate in the small ways that most people wouldn’t notice. Like when you had squeezed past him one time to get to the fresher, he pressed himself fully against the wall to give you space and when you lightly stumbled trying to get past him, he immediately grabbed your arm before you could fall. Almost like what he did tonight when you bumped into him and almost fell out of your seat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You had both reached the tent and were standing outside of it. It was a little awkward, if you did say so yourself. He seemed to be thinking about something, and so you waited for him to speak.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This was the best arrangement I could make. I can sleep outside, and you and the kid can have the tent,” he said to you quietly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No,” you said quickly. “That’s not fair to you. You drove us the entire way and I know you haven’t slept in a couple days.” You could tell by the drag of his shoulders and posture that he was really tired. He needed to rest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can all stay in the tent. If you need to remove your beskar, I won’t look. I’ll stay turned to the other side the entire night.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turned his head to look at you, studying you silently. He sighed quietly and nodded at you, motioning with his hand for you to get in the tent.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You crawled inside and were met with a hefty load of blankets. The desert got really chilly in the middle of the night, as the excess heat from the sand slowly faded away. You shimmied over to one side of the tent, making sure to give the Mandalorian enough room to get inside the tent. He lowered himself slowly inside the tent, his arms still gently cradling Grogu. He handed you the kid first before he crawled his way over to the other side of the tent, his armor clanking against each other the entire way. Grogu made a small cooing sound and you looked down to see him grinning sleepily at you. You smiled right back at him and he giggled softly, before falling asleep once more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Mandalorian was sitting at a very awkward angle away from you. His armor made the bulk of his body almost five times bigger than you thought it would normally be. There was no possible way he was going to sleep well in full beskar armor. He was watching you gently lay Grogu down on a small pallet of furs that you swaddled together. The Mandalorian did not bring the floating crib, so Grogu got to sleep in the warmest furs and blankets you could find in the small tent. The silence was a comfortable one, you were busy checking your pack to make sure you had all the supplies you needed, and the Mandalorian was busy watching Grogu sleep. Or you assumed he was watching Grogu. You couldn’t really tell in the dark, the only light source was the light of the fire from the middle of the Tusken camp. The soft glow of the flames glinted off the Mandalorian’s armor, it made it seem like his beskar was bathed in gold.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You took out the only blaster you had ever owned and began to clean it, making sure it wouldn’t backfire on you when you needed it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why do you carry a blaster? I think your laser swords would trump any other weapon in the galaxy,” the Mandalorian asked you suddenly, pausing you in the middle of your maintenance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re called lightsabers,” you tell him, laughing quietly. “I designed the hilts myself when I was twelve.” He didn’t say anything, and you assumed he was still waiting for you to answer his question.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t carry my lightsabers on me in public usually,” you told him. “When the Empire was in power, if I was seen with them, I would have been hunted down and killed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think any Stormtrooper would be able to hunt you,” the Mandalorian said to you bluntly, the visor of his helmet now turning to look fully at you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It wasn't Stormtroopers they would send,” you whispered, bringing your knees to your chest and curling your arms around them. Anytime you thought about the Inquisitors, it felt like your body would freeze up and you would never be able to move your body again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you talking about the Inquisitors?” You could still feel the Mandalorian’s gaze on you as you felt yourself slowly slipping back into your memories, the pain and sadness threatening to sweep you away. You felt a slight pressure on your forearm and you looked down to see Grogu staring up at you, his large eyes watery and concerned. You gave him a small smile and brushed your thumb across his forehead, sending a calming presence to him, telling him you were fine. He didn’t seem to believe you and he cooed softly before trying to climb into your lap. You had to move your arms and legs into a comfortable position for him and he curled into your chest, before falling right back asleep like he was moments before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Grogu was a calming presence against your chest, and you instantly felt yourself relaxing, the panic slowly subsiding. You still hadn’t answered the Mandalorian’s question, but you assumed he already knew the answer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t know his real name, do you?” You turned your gaze away from Grogu to look at the Mandalorian. He hesitated, before nodding slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He shared a memory with me, while we were travelling to Tatooine. I can still remember the fear he felt, and I hate it. I hate that something this small and innocent ever had to go through what he did. In this memory, I was able to learn his name.” You stopped talking when you noticed the Mandalorian had suddenly jerked up and was closer to you than he was before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Could you see who they were, the people who hurt him,” the Mandalorian asked you roughly, the words tumbling quickly out of his mouth. You felt anger and frustration coming off of him in waves...and something else too. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was guilt.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You didn’t know what he could possibly feel guilty for. He wasn’t there when Grogu was at the Temple, he was probably most likely just a child himself. But his emotions were so strong and so forward, it took your breath away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to know his name,” you asked him breathlessly, not even addressing what he had asked you. His emotions were all over the place, and it was confusing you. There were few people whose emotions were this strong. In a way, it made sense. He is always covered and protected from the prying eyes of others, always guarding himself. But no one can ever truly keep their emotions hidden and his were powerful. The Force was in turmoil because of it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want to know who they were. I want to know who hurt him, because there is no place in the galaxy where they could hide from me,” the Mandalorian said harshly, his breathing erratic, like he was losing control. You reached out towards him, needing him to calm down, but he jerked away from you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t deserve to know his name. He showed you because he trusted you, because you didn’t give him back to the people who wanted to hurt him.” You gasped when he said this, his guilt becoming even more prominent as he spoke this aloud. What had happened with Grogu and the Mandalorian before you met them? Did he really give Grogu to someone who hurt him? Everything was so confusing and you couldn’t focus because the Mandalorian couldn’t keep his emotions in check. You were always more attune to emotion than many of the Jedi you trained with at the Temple, and even when Master Kuro trained you. You could usually pull yourself away from the emotions of others, but the emotions of the Mandalorian kept pulling you in, wanting you to see what had torn him up so much inside. You needed to get out of the tent. You needed him to get it together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As you moved to open the flap to the tent, the Mandalorian grabbed your arm. His grip was tight and it was starting to ache a little. You grabbed his wrist, meaning to remove it, but he put his other hand on your shoulder. He was still breathing harshly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t leave,” he whispered. “The kid needs you here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You started into the visor of his helmet, and he stared right back. Neither of you spoke for a while, the air in the tent tense.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Grogu,” you whispered to him quietly, before removing both of his hands from you and crawling out of the tent and out into the night.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here are just some links if you wanted to read up on the characters that I mentioned:</p><p>An'ya Kuro-https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/An%27ya_Kuro</p></blockquote></div></div>
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